Introducing Mr. Basketball Candidate #1: Joe Wieskamp
As far of our preseason content, we’re counting down the top dozen candidates for this year’s Mr. Basketball award, presented annually to the top senior in the state. The list ends with our No. 1 player, Muscatine small forward Joe Wieskamp, a nationally ranked Iowa signee, the state’s best all-around player and a dynamic force who looks like an overwhelming favorite for the award.
Name: Joe Wieskamp
Height: 6-7
Position: SF
School: Muscatine
2016-17 stats: 668 points (30.4/game), 224 rebounds (10.2), 56 assists (2.5), 40 steals (1.8), 43 blocks (2.0), 56.1 FG%, 41.1 3P%, 81.8 FT%
Career stats: 1,573 points (23.5/game), 587 rebounds (8.8), 114 assists (1.7), 94 steals (1.4), 116 blocks (1.7), 52.4 FG%, 38.4 3P%, 77.7 FT%
About Wieskamp: An Iowa commit since after his freshman season, the 6-7 small forward has developed into one of the country’s best perimeter scorers in the 2018 class. Last season, he became the first 4A player to lead the state in scoring since Marcus Paige in 2012, and just the third player in the last ten years to average north of 30 a game. All of this happened while facing constant double and triple teams, and he still scores at an alarmingly efficient rate, posting shooting splits of 56-41-82 during his junior year. His game has constantly evolved over the course of his high school career, turning himself into one of the best players the state has ever seen. He’ll become just the third 4A player in history to score over 2,000 career points, and even if he just repeats last year’s scoring numbers, he’ll finish his career as the No. 12 all-time scorer in state history. He’ll likely finish as the most prolific scorer in 4A history, and will attempt to lead the Muskies to their first state tournament berth since 2002.
Why he can win Mr. Basketball: Wieskamp is the most dangerous scoring threat in the state, and despite not having a lot of talent around him, he led Muscatine to the substate final last year. If he can lead them to a state tournament berth, he’s pretty much a lock for the award. He’s a nationally ranked player who posts eye-popping numbers with remarkably efficiency.
Odds he wins Mr. Basketball: You never want to say anything in life is a guarantee, but it would be a pretty monumental upset for Wieskamp to be denied the Mr. Basketball title, even if he’s not able to lead the Muskies to the state tournament. Barring an injury, he’ll finish his career with well over 2,000 points (just the third 4A player ever to do so), and he’ll do so with remarkable efficiency. The Iowa commit has put together an incredible career, and he’s an overwhelming favorite to claim the Mr. Basketball crown before making his way to Iowa City.